A cobpoeation of ontabio



L. c. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICAUON FILED DEC. 9, 1911.

Patented Aug. l, 1916.

14 SHEETS-SHEETI mon/ms WITNESS/58 I.. C. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN FILED nacK Q1 isn.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Law.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 2* I.. Cl PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED` DEC. 9, 19H.

1,193,292. P11emd11ug11916.

I4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L. C. PALMER'.

LABEUNG MACHINE.

I4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESS/58 ATTORNEYS l.. C. PALMER.

Patented Aug. 1,1916.

14 SHEETSPSHEET 5I L. C. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man nic. 9, 1911.

Patented Aug. 1,1916.

I4 SHEETS-SHEET 6- 9s TL: 9.. sa

sla

11min ym WITNESSES L. C. PALMER.

LABELIN'G MACHINE.- n APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. I9II. I 1,1992., PIendAug. 1,1916.

I4 SHEETS-SHEET L. C. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED nec. 9. I9II.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Y Ina/mers I4 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

L. C. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION msn ofc. 9,1911.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

I4 SHEETS-SHEET l0 Lwg.

WIM/5885s n [NVE/WOR ATTORNEYS L. C. PALMER. v

LABELI APPLICATION Flu-:D 11Ec.9, 1911.

NG MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916'I I4 SHEETS-SHEET Il.

ATTORNEYS L. C. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED nc.9.-I9-II.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

'14 SHEETSf-SHEET l2.

TUHNEYS L. C. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.-

APPLICATION mw DEc.9.1911.

1,19,292. Panted Aug. 1,1916.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 14.

sul |12 a02 los 303 LYNDON CONSTANTINE PALMER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO F. N. BURT COMPANY, LIMITED, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, CORPORATION 0F ONTARIO,

CANADA.

LABELING-MACHINE.

iaaaaae.

To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, LYNDoN C. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Labeling-Machines, .of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanism for applying labels to articles, and more especially to devices for securing labels to boxes.

One object of the invention is the provision of mechanism for efficiently pasting a label to a box. Y y

Another object of the invention is the provision of a comparatively simple mechanism for applying labels to the inside su'rface of a box, and especially to the inside surface of a large number of boxes in a short space of time.

Another object is to provide means for effectively applying labels to boxes so that they shall present a smooth and even surface.

Still another object is the provision of means whereby the label is symmetrically arranged with respect to the box.

Another object is to provide a device in lwhich the adhesive is accurately and 'economically applied to the parts to be glued without waste and without gumming up adjacent` parts.

Another object is' the simple and efficient removal of the labeled boxes from the machine. v

Other objects will be. in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

rll`he invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings, wherein is shown one of the possible embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken below the bed plate, parts being omitted for the speciacation of Letters Patent. l

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

serial No. 664,774.

sake of clearness; Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section, partly broken away, showlng the box carrier and operating mechamsm; Fig. 5 is a vertical central section through Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional detail view showing one of the presser-s and operating mechanism; Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the cross head and glue pad carrier; Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are detail views of the glue pad carrier; Fig. 12 shows the operating cam for the cross head; Fig. 13 is a. detail plan of the label magazine, box feeding picker mechanism and ejecting mechanism; Fig. 14 isa detail elevation of the ejecting mechanism; Fig. 15 is a detail elevation of the picker mechanism and box conveyer, partly in section; Fig. 16 is a front elevation of the picker; Fig. 17 is a` horizontal sectional detail of the picker; Fig. 18 is a plan of the box conveyer mechanism; Fig. 19 is a sectional elevation of the box conveyer mechanism; Fig. 20 is a detail in elevation showing a box rest and the retaining means; Fig. 21 is al transverse section of a box rest; Figs. 22 and 23 are plan and side elevations, respectively, of the glue transferring mechanism; Fig` 24 is a sectional detail through the glue transferring mechanism; Figs. 25 and 26 are elevation and plan views', respectively, of the glue tank and glue feed rollers; Fig. 27 is an elevation of the label follower' or hammer mechanism, partly in section; Figs. 28 and 29 are details of the label follower or hammer, partly in section; Fig. 30 shows the cam operating mechanism for the follower or hammer;`lFig. 31 is a sectional detail showing the arrangement of the device for governing the descent of the glue pad; Figs. 32 land 33 are details of said device; Figs. 34 and 35-are plan and elevation views, rcspectively, of a modification, one of the detent lingers being broken away and'turned from correct position for illustrative purposes only.

The general arrangement of the preferred embodiment of the inventionl as illus trated in the accompanying.drawings comprises a movable carrier for a plurality of boxes, a box supplying device by means of which boxes are fed to a certain position adjacent the box carrier mechanism operating to transfer the boxes from the supply device lit to the carrier, a gluing mechanism disposed adjacent the path of movement of the boa on the carrier, label supportin and manipulating devices also adjacent t e path of the boX on the carrier and adapted at proper times to coperate therewith, and mechaplate having supporting upright standards 3 and if securely fastened to the upper surface. of the stand. Projecting upwardly from an intermediate portion of the bed plate is a cylindrical bearing 5 supporting thereabove a fixed platform 6 secured thereto and adapted to serve as a support for someof the elements of the machine. A preferably circular rotary box supporting and carrying table or disk 7 surrounds the bearing, the periphery of said disk being flanged, as at 8, and said flange bearing ony a com 2lementary upstanding flange 9 on the )ed plate, providing a space between the bed plate and the body of the rotary disk lto accommodate operating connections for the disk. Fastened to the bottom of the dish within the space above referred to is a Geneva gear wheel l() comprising the radial slots 'll and the curved peripheral portions 1Q. Said gear wheel has an 'opstanding hub portion 13 and rests upon the bed plate, andis secured to and supports the boi; carrier disk with the bottom portion of its flange B closely adjacent the tlange 9 on the bed plate, lNear plates are interposed be tween the hub 13 and the bearing 5. 14 indicates a wheel having a pin adapted to engage the slots l1 of the Geneva gear wheel, the wheel le having a. hub or circular peripheral portion l5 ada to engage the curved portions l?, of the Geneva gear and lock said against movement IWroept when the pin coperates with the slot there-- of. llrovision is made the Geneva4 gear by cut of the pin wheel, as sin Ailfith the above descrn will be evident that v."

action it .e inn wlieel is j be rotated inrctatcd the Geneva terznittcntly, step f certain amount, and between of its the lub of the ,ion of of which at that time engages the curved i portion of the gear. In the present instance the Geneva gear is rotated one-twelfth of a revolution for every revolution ofthe pin wheel in order to comport with the operations upon the box and provide idle points, as will hereinafter appear.

rlhe intermittently rotating carrier plate serves as a means for supporting and carrying a series of boxes successively into p osi-v tions adjacent mechanisms, the yoperation of which results in aiiixing labels to the boxes and in stripping or ejecting the labeled boxes from the carrier. ln the present embodiment the boxes to be labeled are sup plied to a conveyer or box-supply device located at one side of the c: rrier plate. The construction of this box-supply device may be of any efficient form, but is preferably similar in general details to 'that disclosed in applicantls Patent No. 1,019,351, March 5, ll, comprising an endless belt 17. ln the present instance, however, it is designed to label boxes on the inside thereof instead of on the outside, as described in the aforesaid application., and accordingly the attendant places the boxes open side up upon the con- 'veyer belt 17, which latter conveys them successively into a certain or predetermined position alongside the carrier plate, whence they are drawn slid onto boa rests on said plate, as will hereinafter appear. Preferably the conveyor frame comprises a trough on the bottom plate li of which the upger ply of belt li' is supported and moves, and one of the belt supporting rollers is journaled in bracket adjustably fined to said trough. ',lhe upper ply of the belt is sub stantially in horizontal alineinent with a box retainer and above the plane of box rests hereinafter described.

Before describing in detail the several devices employed in labeling the boxes, it will be conducive to a clearer understanding of the operation of the machine to describe at this pointJ the character and arrangement of the main driving mechanism.

The numeral lS indicates a main horizontal driving shaft journaled in brackets lil and l2@ secured to the stand. and located be- Stand- VEne deuices employed in gluing, eje are mainly driven from slaat as will hereinafter appear. lileai end o be main driving sli-aft i8 is fastened a be l gear 2d, meshing with a 2? a counter shaftl, this latter s W, at its opposite end two ltr elL and 3d, Wie former de- 've the glue delivery devices of if i' ugh chain lll, and the titl le) Qi "sitioned by said iianges.

' other latter the conveyor belt 17 through chain 32. Mounted at one end of the cam shaft 23 is a bevel gear 33, meshing with a similar wheel 3l on a vertical shaft 35 which carries at its upper end the pinowheel lt of the Geneva driving gear.

35 indicates a belt pulley adapted to be continuously driven from any suitable source oi power, and 3G represents a clutch device of any eilicient construction and i adapted to be operated through rods 37, rock shaft 38, and hand lever 39, the latter' being disposed in convenient position for manipulation by the attendant. As the shaft 18 rotates, Continuous rotation of shafts 23I and 2S is effected, the Geneva gear is operated to rotate the carrier 7 step by step, and the other elements of the machine are operated in the manner intended, as will clearly ap pear hereinafter.

lleinovably and adjustably mounted upon the carrier plate and near the periphery thereot is a series oi' box supports or rests each comprising a base portion l.l0 adjustable relative to the plate, and a boit carrying or supporting portion Ill removably connected to the base portion, preferably by nieans ot v alining pins l2 projecting upwardly from the base portion and received in guiding openings in the bottoni ot the supporting portion oi the rest, the supporting portion l'ieing secured to the base portionby means of a screw or other suitable 'fastening device, permitting the supporting portion to be removed when desired. ln order to provide for the accurate positioning of the boxes `vviutli their opstanding flanges on the rests, the latter are provided with peripheral projections in the shape of anges al, 45 and 4G, and, as by the present embodiment provision is made for labeling substantially rectangular boxes, three sides of the rest are provided with said ilanges, angularly an ranged relative to each other, the fourth side being left tree `and providing an interveiling` opening, except as will hereinalter appear, so that a bony may be slid or transferred i'roin the conveyor belt i'i' onto the bor. rest, on which it will be guided and poln order tliat the boxes shall be prevented troni substantial displacement in a plane perpendicular to that ol the rest, the opposite flanges te and 4:3 are provided *with overlianging portions l? nliirli span the tliiclrness of tbe boa: lian; The inner llange all as a stop tire 'radial position of tlie box relato linz.; tive to 'tiie rest and the carrier on which it is supported, and tiiis stop terminates below 'the top 'of the boa flange and is unprovidecl with an overlianging liange, for purposes u'liicli will hereinafter appear'. lllhe flanges ol' the est are aceordinelf spaced from eacli n ra A ,i l or tbe rest to a suiiicie conveyor into the chamber oi the rest formed by the flanges aforesaid. A. box having been positioned on a rest will, as the rest moves, be carried to different positions `where labeling operations take place, and in order that the bor: may remain securely in position on ther-est as the rest nieves and without liability ol' substantial movement nrelative thereto, means are provided for obstructing or substantially closing the intervening opening between the flanges of the rest, said means in the preferred embodiment comprising a stop or latch. 48 pivotally connected to the rest as by a pin 49 and adapted to be moved into and out of position in alineinent with that path of movement of a boa on entering or leaving the cbaniber ot tbe rest. Said latch is provided with a tail portion 50, preferably trailing with respect to the direction of movement of the rest, carrying an anti-friction roller 51 adapted to Contact and be guided, and at certain places moved, by a'caru track 52 located adjacent tbe path oit movement of the rests, as will be described hereinafter. lit will be observed from tbe construction hereinafter set l'orth that as the rest travels the stops i8 are at times moved across the interveningopening, and again uncover the saine, thus having an oscillatory movement, and in order tliat this movement shall not be so free as to be accidentally accomplished the stop is preferably arranged to resist accidental movement, as by setting up the screw pivot pin t9 so as to cause stop to press against the rest, tbe friction so es tablislied being suiiicient to temporarily retain it in position across or below the intervening opening referred to until posi tively moved. lt will be noted that when the latch is in position intersecting tbe patli of movement ot the box, said bei; is lield substantially in immovable position relative to the rest, so that when the boli is presented to the label operating mechanism or any eleinent thereof having cooperative relationship with the box, accurate and exact relative arrangement is assured.

The mechanism for transferring tlie boxes from the conveyer to the box rests coni- L prises a picker involving a reeiprocatory picker bar 53 having llangesl slidably supported on abraclret secured to tbe central plat'lorin (i. @aid picker bar is reciprocated tlirougli tbe instrumentality oit an adjustable connecting rod tipivoted to an arin il secured te a roclr sliait 58, the latter provided. with a gear 59 meshing with a eelt lill on the label magasine, tliis manner oil operating connection being preferred in tiie interest of simplicity et' parts, as tbe operations el picirer readily synchronize with those oit the label magasine, as will appear. pielM provided with ioovable pisser tbe cnil.

of the bar, with its end portion adapted to occupy a position in alinement with the boxes as they are fed into position by the conveyer mechanism. In the present embodiment a bracket 61 is securely fastened to. the

end of the picker bar and projects laterally and downwardly therefrom in alinemlenti with the ath of the boxes as they pass to the rest rom the belt 17, and the picker finger comprises a plate 62 pivoted to the bracket, said plate being of a sufficient width to substantially'span a box'r to be fed. The finger or plate 62 when in feeding position depends 'across the path of the boxes, and as the picker bar reciprocates the finger engages the outside wall of the box which has been conveyed to proper position by the belt 17,' and moves or slides the box from the belt to the box rest, and into the chamber thereof through the intervening opening. The conveyer mechanism is spaced slightly from the rests, the space being bridged by a short projecting plate 63, the outer end of which closely approximates the rest, so that a convenient way from the belt to thev rest is provided. As the finger passes back to feed a new box, provision is made for raising the finger out of contact with the new box comprising a pivoted switch 64 which guides a p'in 65 carried on the lower lateral ppl-tion of the finger. In retreating, the pin 65 follows the inclined track formed by the switch 64 and drops from the track into feeding position. On forward movement of the pin 65, it passes beneath the switch 64, as will readily appear. Provision is made for positively causing the finger to assume proper position in alinement with the box to be fed, comprising .a spring 66, one end of which is attached to the finger and the other endto the bracket 61, the spring being disposed across the pivoted joint connecting the finger and bracket. Should the picker finger 62 encounter any obstruction in its feeding movement, or should the box to be fed for'any reason offer undue resistance, provision is made to enable the finger to yield rather than cause undue strain of the working parts or the crushing of the box. To this end the bracket 61 is provided with a projecting arm 67 carrying avpin 68, encircled by a spring 69, one end of which spring bears against a plate mounted to rock or rotate on the plu 68, the spring 69 pressing the plate 70 against the arm 67 with a yielding pressure depending upon the adjustment ofthe nut 71. Preferably, the friction thus established between the arm and plate is accentuated by providing said parts, one with a beveled tooth 72 and the other with a recess 73 having inclined walls. The plate 70 has its lower end 74 terminating in position to serve as a stop to dotermine the feeding position of the picker finger, the spring 66 serving to move the finger to position against such stop. As the picker finger moves to feed a box, the friction clutch comprised in the plates 67 and 70 and the spring 69 will yield should undue resistance be encountered, and the spring 66, by reason of its location across the pivotal point, will preserve the new position of the finger until returned to position by hand. Thus the coperating clutch elements described provide a friction clutch device between the finger and the bar to yieldingly oppose movement of the finger relative to the bar in one direction, and the spring connected to the bar and finger opposes relative movement of the finger in the opposite direction and returns the finger to normal feeding position.

In order that the boxes may be `readily fed to the carrier, the corner of the guiding wall ofthe belt conveyer trough is rounded as at 75 to ease a box into the guideway leading to the carrier, and in order to preserve the alinement of the walls of the box with those of said way, a stop or yielding guiding member is employed comprising* a roller 76 in the guideway leading to the carrier, this roller being carried by a leaf spring 77 adjustably fastened to the conveyer frame. The periphery of the roller 76 intersects the path of theboxes in the guideway leading to the carrier, extending below the tops of the flanges thereof, and the roller is so positioned that as the boxes arrive in feeding position their trailing walls are positioned substantially opposite the roller, which prevents their rotation in a horizontal plane and which yet yields to permit their feed by the picker, the plane of rotation of the roller being transverse to movement of boxes by the belt 17.

A box having been fed onto the support, the Geneva mechanism is operated and the carrier rotated to convey the box to a position in which glue is applied thereto. In the present embodiment the boxes will be held at rest twice between the position of the picker and that of the glue-applying device, such idle positions being provided in order that the boxes may be inspected and any defaced boxes removed therefrom.

It will be understood that when a box has been fed from the conveyer belt to a rest, it is carried by the latter to a position in which glue is applied thereto; thence to. a position where labels are applied to the glued surface; thence beneath presses, and thence to a device which strips or ejects the boxf from the rest. In order that the box shall be efficiently held in position on the rest when gluing, labeling and pressing, the cam track 52/hereinbefore mentioned is pro vided. This track comprises a narrow thin )late 52, fixed to the bed plate by brackets 8, and disposed above and just inside the periphery of the carrier platey7- An inclined end portion 79 of the track rises from the surfaces of the carrier, and as the rest moves from pressing position to that of ejecting, the roller l'which has been following the plane surface of the carrier moves up the incline 79, thus causing the stop 48 to move below the surface of the rest, so that the 4ejector may push or slide the box ott' the rest. The rest next moves to picking position` the stop maintaining its lowered position until the new box has been placed on the rest. As the rest moves from picking position the roller-61 encounters a cam surface 80 of an upper guiding track 81. similar in constrllction to track 52, the roller being directed down, the stop 48 being positively lifted to position across the intervening opening. 'lhereafter and until the box leaves the last pressing station, the stop 48'remains in box engaging position. The track 81 preferably extends sutiiciently around the carrier to positively .maintain the stopi-l8 in box engaging position until the label has been applied, although in the present embodiment it is continued further.

The bed plate 2 extends sufficiently to one side of the carrier plate to support a glue reservoir comprising a tank 82 having upstanding plates 83 supporting glue supply and delivery rollers of the general character disclosed in the patent he reinbefore referred to. Brackets 81 secured to the bed plate support, at one end, guide rods 85 extending across the path of the box rests` the other ends being supported by brackets 86 secured to the central stationary platform 6. A glue/applying roller 87 is guided between the bars ofl said rods and carries glue from the delivery roller to a glue pad 88 supported in line with a Stationary position assumed by the box rests. The manner of supporting the guide rods and the ,f ruiding devlces whereby the glue-applying roller is moved from the glue supply to the pad are generally similar to those described in the aforesaid patent. The glue pad 88 comprises preferably a rubber block covered with canvas and held in a plate 89 adjustably mounted in another' plate 90 resiliently supported upon a cross head 91 adapted to reciprocate 'toward and from the plane of the carrier in order to deliver glue to la box supported on a rest beneath the same. In the present embodiment the cross head 91 is provided with a bracket comprising ablock 92 through which pass guiding and supporting pins 93 provided with stop nuts 94 at their upper ends, the lower ends of the rods being attached to the plate 90, to the bottom of which latter are fastened under-cut guide plates 95 forming a dove-tailed channel adapted to be slidingly engaged by a projecting portion 96 of the plate carrying the pad. The plate 90 is provided with depend- -threa ded portion of ing brackets 97 through which pass adjusting screws 98 which abut the ends of the pad-carrying plate so as to permit the transverse adjustment of the pad rela-tive to its support and also relative to the box rests. m Between the plate 90 and the block 92 and surrounding the pins 93, resilient means, as springs 99, are interposed, and as the cross head is operated the glue pad descends toward the box rests, being adapted to enter 7a between the `flanges of the box therebeneath and glue the inner bottom face or surface thereof with a yielding pressure, as will now be apparent.

In order to prevent the pad from apply- 80 ing glue to the surface of the rest should no box'be in position thereon, a rock shaft 100 is journaled on the side of the block 92 -and centrally connected by an arm 101 and link 102 to the plate 90. An arm 103 on the end.` 85. of the shaft has a forked end engaging a pin 104 of a square detent rod 105 mounted to reciprocate in the block. Thus the springs 99 maintain the rod 105 in elevated position. Supported on the central plat- 90 form 6' is a base bracket 106, supporting a sliding rod 107, preferably of rectangular cross section, having a pin 108, engaging a, slot 109 in one end of a lever 110 pivoted at its other end to an arm of the bracket 95 106 and carrying a cam in the shape of an anti-friction roller 111, located in a horizontal plane on a line with,l the wall of a box when in position on a rest, said roller being moved by a spring 112 to intersect the path 100 of the box wall, and adapted to be pressed away from the rest by said wall as the box passes. Preferably, the rod 107 hasy a reduced portion comprising a stem 300 formmg a shoulder 301, and the spring 112 en- 105 circles the stem 300, and lies between the shoulder 301 and aremovable plate 302 fastened to the bracket, a nut 303 engaging a the stem 300 and serving tol adjust the position of the roller 111 110 relative to the box'rest. To the rod 107 is adjustably secured, as by a slot 107` and screw 108', an arm forming a stop 113 projecting beyond the bracket and above the planeof the box rest, and the spring 112 115 urges the stop 113 into position beneath the rod when no box is in position. Under this condition the end of rod 105, which is normally practically =flush with the lower surface of pad 88, strikes the stop 113 be- 120 fore the glue pad 88 has descended sufficiently to touch the rest, and full movement of the block 92 is permitted without further descent of the pad. When a box is in position on the rest, the roller will engage la the wall of the same just above the inner flange 46 which it will be remembered does not extend the full height of the box. Thus the stop 113 is kept out of alinement with v the rod 105 and full descent of the glue pad we intov the box is permitted. The slot and screw connection with the nut 303 enable the tension of spring 112 to be regulated, though the stop 113 be adjusted to different positions relative to the path of the box.

In applying labels to boxes it is desirable to lproduce an article having a finished appearance, one in which the label lies smoothly, and without yair bubbles or wrinkles and one in which the label is accurately arranged with respect to the article to which it is attached. To this end the glue should be applied in definite places, and the label should be affixed so as to register as accurately as possible with the glued portion of the article. These objects are efiiciently attained by supporting the glue pad on rods connected thereto at opposite sides of the pad, as by supporting and guiding rods 114 attached to each end of the crosshead 91, and guided in elongated bearings 115 and 11G on the bed plate and stand, respectively. Reciprocatory motion is communicated to the glue pad through the cross-head by a cam 117 securedto shaft 23, and engaging a roller 11S on a tie bar 119 connecting the rods 114. Glue having been vapplied to the inside of the box, the glued box is then moved to label-applying position. Here it arrives beneath the label magazine 120 provided with spring fingers 121 to retain a l pile of labels. as described in the prior patent hereinbefor'e referred to. In the present embodiment, however, the springs extend below the rigid walls of the `label magazine in order to enter the box without inter: ference from said walls. The label magazine is preferably supported and moved into label applying position by means of the cross head 91 to which it is adj ustably fixed, although it will be apparent that any other efiicient means of bringing the box and the label holder into label-applying position may be provided. In the present embodiment, as the cross head reciprocates the label magazine moves back and forth toward the box, andin its lowered position the label carrying fingers enter the box and position the bottom label as closely adjacent the glued surface of the box to be labeled as the engaging fingers of the magazine will permit. f

Ordinarily, the pile of labels will bulge outwardly at the bottom so that when the magazine descends the bottom label will bel brought into contact with the glued surface ofthe box. However, in order to insure that the bottom label in the magazine shall contact with the glued surface of the box, means are provided for operatingiupon the labels to push the adjacent label from the magazine to the glued surface of the box and to press the same thereagainst. In the preferred embodiment a follower or hammer is situated in position to be moved from andA against the labels in the magazine to strike the pile of labels when the magazine is in label-applying position, and thus push the bottom label from the magazine onto the box and press the same thereagainst. Pref'- erably this hammer comprises a head 122 having an upstanding stem or rod 123 guided in a bracket 121 supported from the frame of the machine, said rod being toothed, providing a rack 1,25 adapted to be engaged at the proper time by a sliding dog and held in striking position. Means are provided for raising the hammer to striking position above the pile of labels in the magazine, comprising a block 126 slidable onthe rod and a pivoted cam piece 127 coperating with said block in certain positions to grip the rod. A connecting or operating rod 128A operated from a suitable part of. the machine, as will hereinafter appear, is pivotally connected at 129l to an arm 130' fixed tothe cam portion of the grip, and the parts are so disposed that when the connecting rod 128 is raised the rod 123 of the hammer is gripped and raised therewith. The rack having been raised to the extent of movement of the connecting rod, the dog engages the rack 125 on the rod and holds the hammer in elevated position when the grip is released upon the descent of the connecting rod. In order that the hammer may descend under other infiuence than f navity,` a spring 131 is connected thereto at one end and to the bracket 124 at the other, in order to drive the hammer against the labels in the magazine. A sliding dog 132is'held on the bracket by means of a plate 133, and a spring 131 surrounding a` stem 135 on the dog tends to force the latter toward the rack. Laterally disposed with respect to the dog is an anti-friction roller 136, in turn adapted to be engaged by aL slidable cam v137 which, as it is moved one way or thev other, either contacts the rolle'rto withdraw the dog from the rack, or permits said dog to engage the teeth of the rack. As the magazine descends and reaches labeling position, a trip arm 138 thereon contacts with the slidable cam, causing the latter to move in a direction to withdraw the dog from the rack, permitting `the hammer to descend under the influence of its spring. a cushioned contact is provided between the trip and the slidable cam, as by means" of a spring buffer 139 on the slidable dog.' As the magazine approximates the limit of its upward movelnent the trip arm engages an adjustable stop 1-10 upon the slidable cam and raises said cam, thus releasing the dog, which at the proper time springs into position to engage the rack. It will be observed. however, that the cam grip controlling the rise of the hammer is" so arranged relative to the operation of the labeling device that said hammer will have been raised to strik- Preferably 

